Spanish to English

July 11, 20116

So this last week was transfers and so I'm here in South shore but I'm also English speaking...what is this? um the new area is looking good i have NASA in it. so i may go there some p-day we'll see.

My companion is great hes mad the re locating a good experience. I had to give a talk on sunday and it was wierd doing it in English since ive been giving talks in spanish for a year. So yeah the language change is kinda difficult. Im still adapting but ill be all good in the next couple of days. 

So I dont know what to say lol  since all this last week went by so fast. so ill leave you all with some pictures! of me and the YSA elders and my Teddy Bear and another elders Teddy bear and a picture of a living Amarillo i finally got to see a living one!!! ssuccessssss.

Well i love and miss ya'll, hope everyone is doing great till next time!

Elder Herrera

Whats in my pocket?

June 27, 2016

I should really start keeping track of the fun stuff that happened through out the week like i did in the beginning of my mission. well i ll keep a note of that for later.

So ill give some small high lights of the week. We finished almost finished some shirts we made which is awesome, pictures below. but that was our district activity last week. This last week we also helpped out with the flood victims down here sadly i had to head up to houston, so i couldnt stay long. we also attened a baptism that the YSA elders were having. there convert went through a lot of persiution from his family leading up to his baptism but he didnt let that get in the way. hes a great example of satan doing all he can to stop us from progressing, but as long as we have faith and work hard always moving forward we can over come him! 

Our brach this saturday had a fathers day party and it was fun, i enjoyed the food most of all! 

well that seems  to be all for now have a great week and keep enjoying your summer! ill have more to tell next time i promise! 

Elder Herrera

i found a small frog in my pocket how it got there i have no idea

and Angel our Branch President son
​

Busyyyy

June 20, 2016

Hello every one sorry not much to say this week except a lot of work was done to help out the flood victims here in the area! and ive come to find out that i love to destroy things! and since the waters have gone down in other areas we have been called to do more service this week to come! Hopefully all goes well and we can get these people back to thier normak way of life again. 

so these pictures are from service to me enjoying the fire to me catching random creatures. but im having fun thats a for sure thing. oh and were making tshirts! 

All is getting better down here in Texas, talk yo yall later.

~Elder Herrera

News! Floods! Break it down!!

June 14, 2016


Hey Everyone!

This week we had to change pday to tuesday cause we decided to help out our stake president clean out his house after the flooding he got to feet of water in his house. It took us most of the day but it all turned out well, 12 missionaries and two of them being samoans we did WORK!

This last week we also Helpped out at Salvation army helping receive donation for the people affected by the floods. It was a long day but we saw a lot of peoplel in the community come out and help and we also met cool people and got our names out! So over all a success!

On tuesday we found the lopez family they are a family who have been praying before hand to find a church and revieve a guidance to one. Low and behold two young people show up and teahc them the restoration and the part were we talk about the first vision my companion said “ if you pray to know these things are true you may not get anser like joseph smith but you'll get an answer” the mother replied saying your right I may not have seen them but Im looking at the next best thing!! this last week they have come to two activities and her daughter is currently at girls camp! So they are progressing supper quickly! So please keep them in your prayers that this keeps going smoothly!

Oh and last Friday we got to listen to Elder Foster who visteed our mission, so that was a great experince :)

last week flew by supper quickly so much stuff happening!

Well ill leave it ther for now till next week,

Quick

May 30, 2016

Hey everyone how are ya'll this week? so not much happened this last week kinda went by super quickly! so this email may be short! but ill make sure to make it interesting.

 So last week we was transfers but no one got moved from our district we just got a new elder added into our district. so we did have planned to go up to the mission office but we ended up going so i could sign some papers and my companion could talk to our housing coordinator about the new apartment were getting....OH yeah we're getting a new apartment this week and so were excited to get out of our dirty cockroach infested, weed smelling, dump hole!! and getting an awesome new place :D i like new thingS!! so mailing address will come next week when i know what it is. 
 
 Sad part of our week was that one of our family was moving and we helped them move :( they are heading to Arizona but i know that they will bless the ward they move into!<P1030604.JPG>
 The Almanza family (SUPER AWESOME) 


 this week we also have a new baptismal date for next month! Her name is Kate and she has been seeing the elders for the last couple of years and my companion and i both have gotten prompted to invite her and last night we had an amazing lesson with her! Im happy that she accepted and is taking the next step! please keep her in your prayers since now that she has accepted the advisory will be on her now!
 
 I have a request from ya'll, its something small but hopefully will turn out big! I was wondering if i could get ya'll to write your testimony of the Book of Mormon and send it to me. our district has decided to put not only our testimonies but the testimonies of our friends and families in them. and i was wondering if all of ya'll could send me your testimony of the Book of Mormon and so i can share them with the people of Texas. 
 
 Well I'll finish up here but i hope everyone is doing well and that everyone had a great memorial day weekend! Hope to hear back and if not ya'll are always in my prayers!
 
 ~Elder Herrera

Am i turtle enough for the turtle club?

May 23, 2016


Hello folks!

This week was pretty eventful :) we have two investigators who are progressing! Benito and Martin they are both older gentlemen and have both been reading the book of mormon. now our plan this week is to get them to church :) these two gentlemen are awesome! Its awesome seeing them progress :)

So this week during sacrament we had a bad lighting storm  that cut the electricity to the building so we had to have the first hour in the dark which was an awesome experience because the speakers didn't work, everyone had to be more reverent than normal to be able to hear everything so it was a spiritual experience :)

Over all the last week we rescued a turtle of the side of the road and chilled with it all day :)))🐢 he had a great time!

And then on thursday there was a tornado warning😱 hah ait wasnt as bad as it sound but the rain was bad and we had to go to the church building cause it wasnt safe to be out side tracting during that time. over all we were safe :) latwer that day it returned to being hot and sunny lol

Oh ive been reading the book of mormon backwards and its been a great experince. its like seeing a movie in reverse! some things i didnt catch going forward ive been able to understand better going backwards. so i recomened ya'll to try it :) 

well thats all i have to share this week i hope ya'll have a great week. and hopefully i have more to share next week! Stay safe!

Elder Herrera

....im busting out of here...

SO this is us playing in the rain during a tornado warning

saved a turtle from getting smashed yesterday!

see tornado warning... is it bad ive been praying for one?

oh i forgot we went to the temple is last week as a Branch but we also went as a district! and it was fun! going to the temple is always a great experience :)

Short

April 25, 2016

Hey everyone!

This week was awesome! our companion and I were on our bikes and knocking doors like crazy! and out of that we actually got a lot of return appointment. Also we cracked down on our former potential list and found some diamonds amongst the coals. so we're excited about that. and this week is booked with appointments so our efforts are slowly starting to show. 

sorry this letter this week will be short. 

But something new i did was give my companion a hair cut this morning so that was exciting :) i didnt do that bad of a job on it. but it was free so he can complain when he find the bald spot on the back of his head... shhh.. he doesnt know!

but enjoy these pictures and i hope ya'll have a great week :)

~Elder Herrera

Mudd'n!.. oh im stuck...

April 18, 2016

This last week we had transfers like i mentioned last time and my companion was getting transfer, so my new companion ELder Mckague is awesome, he has two transfers left counting this one, but he still hasn't hit his trunky period so he still hard working! especially now that we have planned out to find new people and baptize this transfers! so we're having fun with the work. trying new tactics to find people to teach. sadly this last week was slow and most of the pontentials we tried werent there or we couldnt get in contact with them. so that was a little frustrating and kinda a bad first week for my companion being new to the area. But this sunday we had a council with our new branch president and we came up with a plan for the branch so im excited to see the work start moving here!

This week while we were driving trying out less actives and i had to park but the only place i could go park was in a muddy field by there house, so i did and left it there as we went back and were leaving i got an idea... and it was to go mudd'n and well being in a truck how could i not? so i did! and well all was great till i decided to leave and well "i think im stuck" my companion looked at me and was like im not pushing. so i used my previous knowledge to somehow get out and after i did by some miracle its sleps from my mouth and i say "and im a boss"  my companion bursted out laughing. yeah apperently that was funny enough it was his title to his email this week \(>~>)/ who knew i was funny... 

so pictures explanation:

one is of a cool sign some baptis church used. not half bad lol

second is of me and Elder Wayne. please dont mind my desk it not that dirty. 

Well wish me luck this week:) till next time,

~Elder Herrera

Hello Party Peeps/Transfers

April 11, 2016

Hey Everyone!

So this week was great :) We had exchanges and were able to find a new potential her name is Blanca and she enjoyed hearing about the restoration. I kinda was all alone on that lesson cause my companion only spoke english and she spoke spanish. SO that was exciting, i guess i can teach now without a problem, but now that i said that i will be humbled for it :/ but bring it on that challenge. Gil is still progressing so please have him your guys prayers :) 

We had Zone Meeting on tuesday and it was awesome to see people, was able to say bye to a dying missionary(leaving missionary) from lmy last area. we also go taught a little more on the Atonement, and understanding our Why,What,How and applying it to our missionary work. its something new but gives us a new perspective to the work.

So to explain the picture we all wore purple ties yeah there's a story behind that but it was mostly to confuse the sisters it was awesome :)

Today i felt like making Crepes for everyone in the district first attempt, and from the verdict of the sisters they were delicious! so i did a great job :) but i know its not as good as the ones ive had in the past.

and heres a big Roach i killed and pinned it to the wall... i get bored when there slow days. whoops(DEATH TO ALL ROACHES!)

So i wasn't transferred im still here but my companion is being moved :( sad days but hey no grow we must all have change in our lives .

So well ill be taking off so for the day, i hope yall have a great week! stay safe and have fun!

~Elder Herrera

April 4, 2016

Conference

Hola Ya'll

So this last week was just a lot of preparing people for conference by getting them to study and have questions ready before hand so they could all receive the revelation and guidance they need in their lives. We had Gil our investigator do all these things and we were excited for him to be there but he didn't show for either of the days :/ we are getting in contact this week to see what happen we arnt giving up on him! 

This week we also moved so many people! It getting to the point where if we wanted we could start up a moving company!  but it would be free...  we would just ask to be fed :) 

Oh oh so confrence was amazing! I could go deep into what i learned and what i liked about it but my time is running short. I just wanna say that that ill definitly be going over all the talks again and studying them during my personal study time in the morning! those who haven't seen it recommended that ya'll go and check it out! 

https://www.lds.org/general-conference?lang=eng

But i just wanna say i love ya'll, I enjoy being out here and doing this amazing work! its hard but in the end its worth it :)

Well Ill leave yall for this week! till next time!

~Elder Herrera  

March 28, 2016

Feeling 22/ Easter

Hey Everyone!

 

Thank you for the birthday wishes, I had a fun 22nd! Got our lunch paid for by some mysterious person, and then the prank on the sister missionary's we had going for a week went off well :) had them believing it was my companion Elder Hansen birthday! and they fell for it :D so it was an awesome day! But I got a cake out it... even tho it was SMASHED in my face! there's a video but idk if I can get out ill try though.

 

This Easter was a great experience, We were able to get a baptismal date! and were able to go to the temple which is always amazing. Gil is our new investigator with the date and he an awesome guy who has been trying to change his life. he got out of jail and the with in the first week he came out he in rolled in college and then had a job at one of the plants in the area! He's on the best track!

 

Well is everyone ready for general conference?! I AM!

 

Well I got to go! so tll next week guys!

~Elder Herrera

March 7, 2016

Hola Mis Amigos

So I've been speaking a lot of Spanish since im in a all Spanish Branch which is good! so that is improving and so is my reading I finished the book of Mormon a few weeks ago and I started reading it again in Spanish so wish me luck with that cause when I hit 2 nephi boy that's gonna be fun. But hey everyone! Im doing awesome :) I've been enjoying this new area which is Brazoria South! and the work here is slow but we do a lot of work that on paper doesn't show but we do work hard. this last week We gave ten blessings. In on of those I gave a blessing to a boy who was sick and he was asleep but in that blessing I was prompted to say certain things which I didn't really know why I said it, but later the sister missionary's who where there told us after we left that what I had said happened, not only was he awake but he had a huge smile on his face and was feeling better. That experience helped me strength my testimony on priesthood blessings!

 But over all this area is great still haven't seen all of it but that will come with time im excited! We work closely with the YSA Elders and the Spanish Sisters to help the work move along. Well that's my update for now. I hope everyone is Enjoying spring and is spring break this week or next? well either way have fun with that! Love all ya'll! till next time!

February 22, 2016

Transfers!

Hey Everyone!

sorry i havent really been able to email the last two weeks ive been kinda rushed through my emailing sessions, but its okay ill make this one short but to the point with pictures! 

So this week Is transfer week and well ill be the only one moving this time, pretty much six months in this area! Its bitter Sweet but theres a soul i need to go save in my new area. But i will say that in Port Lavaca i learned a lot and saw the branch start to change in a good direction! During my time here ive had a baptism and helped two less active family's come back, and ive seen a inactive member change his whole life around and this last Sunday after working hard and preparing him self he was able to receive the Aaronic priesthood! now he has a goal to go to the Temple! Im excited for him!! 

but yeah here at the very bottom of the mission ive feel like ive grown a little bit and i have this missionary stuff kinda figured out lol. still have a lot to learn tho!

till i get my new address figured out it would be best to send letters/packages to: 

602 Eldridge Rd 
Sugar Land TX 77478 

Well only if you want to that is.

But random updates: Saw my first aligator! it was while we were on bikes and it happen to be to off to th side of the road! 

also got to help out on a shrimping boat!! well clean it but it was fun!

January 4, 2016

Hello good friends and family!

HAPPY NEW YEARS!

Well this week is onna be sort because were in a rush to go lazer tagging!
well yeah a new year has quickly come once again! I stayed up till twelve by myself cause everyone in the appartment couldnt hang... so when the clock struck 12 i started banging on a pot and yelling happy new years hahah :).  well  As we reminisce of our greatest accomplishments last years and dread over our epic fails, but now lets look forward no a new beginning!  new paths to take and new adventures to start! i cant wait to see what this year has to hold and i know its gonna go by quickly so im gonna try and enjoy as much as i can!

my new years resolution this year is to give a complement to someone each day.

well i hope ya'll are doing great and keeping warm,

Elder Herrera

December 28, 2015

Hey everyone! How was CHRISTMAS?

So this last week was awesome full of tamales sing and gifts!

Last money my email was short since we had to take off to go up to sugar land and practice with the choir for the Christmas conference we had since i got volunteered into it and my companion was the pianist for the performances.  well the practice went well we spent the night at an elder apartment it was okay besides sleeping on the floor.

The next day was our conference day and time to sing well like most of ya'll know i dont sing in public and or at church but i did my best and the choir sounded amazing theressome videos up some where ill find the link and put it on the bottom. but after that and the talks were over, my mission president offered up three movie options to watch and one of them was INSIDEOUT the pixar movie, well since ive already seen it and it was still funny what really made me laugh was everyone else laughing....boy most these people have been move deprived for almost two years. butr it was great. we then proceeded to eat and it was the best food ever two full platyes stacked up. then we had gift echanges and got the rest of the gifts we got.

Wednesday we went out and oymed and passed out a lot of THE SAVIOR IS BORN cards in anticipation that maybe some one we gave it to would like to hear more of what we have to share. that night  we were invited to a memebers christmas party and well we had fun and at some more!

christmas eve wasnt much of a success all we wee able to do is go around to our memebrs houses and give them some christmas cards my comapnion and i made for them. and once it got dark well you could start to hear the hispanics start to party haha but yeah that was fun, stayed up till 12 to open some of my gifts then went to sleep.

Friday skyped my family  that was fun i liked seing how much my baby brother has grown. and talking to my parents and friends that were there that was a great time. ill add pictures of my christmas after this email.

www.facebook.com/thethsm

Well i hope everyone is doing great and that ya'll were good and got gifts from Santa. well ill talk to ya'll next time.

ELder Herrera

December 21, 2015

HELLO EVERYONE!

Despite not feeling like winter, my companion and i have made a great effort make it feel like Christmas from Decorating our apartment and room to going out caroling with member of our branch and then caroling some more with just us four missionaries. this week wasnt as or normal weeks since we had zone meeting and then my companion and i had to do an exchange with the zone leaders, Family history is getting better, and then our Christmas party!

Tusday- well for our FHE we put on was a caroling night and visited members in our branch. we also made cookies for them.

So on wensday we had Zone meeting in Bay City, our mission president was there and we went over what how to contact people and how to do daily and weekily planning accourding to the people we are teaching, and not to just fill up spot in our day.

Thursday- we went on exchanges with the zone leader and i stayed in our area and ran it for the day.

Friday- Did family history and with the help of Megan Hughes i was able to find more information! my companion said ive been bit by the Family History Bug.

Saturday we were asked while doing our studys to help set up for the christmas party that night. well we thought it was only going to be an hour turned out to be longer cause we ended up helping make tamales for the party :) and they were good! me and two of the other Elder were wise men for the nativity, oh and Guess who showed up Santa!(Andre). Long story short we needed a santa i was going to be it, but remembered he was coming and well we asked and he was all for it. He was a great Santa! the Christmas party was a success and every one had fun. 

Sunday- after church me and my companion walked around our whole area in port lavaca after our appointments got dropped looking for people to teach. gave out a few pass along cards and fter it got dark we went caroling with the other elders again:)

This last week was great and this week i know is going to be great as well I hope every one back home is doing well and the true spirit of christmas is with all of ya'll. ill add some pictures of everything thats gone on so far.

Take care and have a Merry Christmas!

Elder Herrera

December 15, 2015

Hello everyone!

So i dont know where to start. Well this week was interesting cause it felt busy but i dont feel exhausted. So let me start on the fact ive been able to move forward in  my family  history and made it back to my third great grand parents this was after my companion told me Ancestry.com was free.. well in his terms ive been bit by the family history bug. so much fun being able to see all these old documents. anyways im excited about that.

Oh and weve been doing alot of singing this week to cause my companion came up awith the idea of getting our branch to go out and do Christmas carols. so we've been setting up this activety and getting people out to practice with us.Hopefully everything turns out well since tomorrow is when we go out and do it. Oh and also i got volunteered to be part of the missionary choir for our christmas party next week so my companion and i have been practicing and i dont know if it will turn out great but hey gotta try new things :) 

This week we have three progressing individual investigators Rudolf Herrera, Dylan, And Candy. they are slowly moving forward but each one is moving at there own speed. Like Candy she was hesitant on doing a prayer for a while and at the end of one of our meeting she did the closing prayer and asked to know if the BofM was true. it was a big step forward and showed us she is really trying. Dylan and Rudolf are both reading which is great!

I hope everyone is doing well and that yall are getting ready for the holiday festivity's, just remember the true reason we celebrate Christmas :) 

random things durning the week:

i saw a duck throw up....i dint know they could do that.

we found a big spider in our car... its STILL in our car!

My tire got another flat.. ugh and in the same tire too.

Quote of the week:

"if i cant have a gf, a sweater will have to do"- Elder Barlow

Till next time, be safe!

Elder Herrera

November 30, 2015

HELLO EVERYONE!

So we had transfer calls today and well im staying! the only person who got transfered fom our district was our district leader elder Hanson. we later got a call from our mission president and he called my companion ELder Barlow to be the new District Leader. pretty awesome im excited because i get to go on exchanges..*evil laugh*... 

But yeah thanks giving week was great we had alot of meel appointment leading up to it and then well we got FED! you know how they say everythings big in texas.. well they goo big with the amount of food they give you! boy it feels like i ate two turkeys myself. 

well i would like to go on about my week but it was mostly riding to appointments and having them fall through or trying potentials and then not being able to get in touch with them.so this week has not been a good week but it doesnt put me down, i just jump on my bike ride to the next person cause i know on person, the person will answer and will be willing to here our message.

so this week on Wednesday is the start of a new transfer! and the well the count down to Christmas and being able to call home! so that going to be exciting :) I hope everyone had a great thanks giving and i hope ya'll are ready for the Christmas Season  and if you are i would like to derict you to this website which i hope the missionary are sharing back home 

christmas.mormon.org 

Keep Warm and talk to you next week, sorry this wasnt long next time will be longer!

Sincerely,

-Elder Herrera

November 23, 2015

How are all ya'll doing?

So something i forgot to mention last week was that Victor was given the priesthood! and this week it was great to see him passing the sacrament, it brought me happiness seeing that! and also he was excited this week to cause he bought his first tie and tonight we are going to teach him how to tie it! 

this last week i was a little under the weather trying to fight off this sick feeling that wanted to get me but i was like nope not gonna happen... well that went well till the northern winds hit a few days ago and today i woke up with a head cold. so besides a slight cough and that im doing great this last week went pretty well. on monday we visited Josue who's from el salvador and he enjoys when we come by and teach him. he says he likes how he has grown close to us and he even gave us little souvenirs from his country. at this moment hes on the boarder lines of deciding which direction he wants to take. we arent pushing him at this point we are be supportive of what he decides and being an example which he said he likes. After we visted him we also went to a new investigator Tino hes a cool guy open to all that we teach with alot of energy, he has some problems with his health so its hard to catch him at home sometimes. but he has that desire to learn more which is always amazing he really loved the Plan of Salvation which answered some important questions hes always had.

the days that continued where more strait forward, riding up and down streets going to meetings and visiting member's, and looking for less active members. All in a normal busy missionary day. 

This week we are excited not only cause its Thanks giving, which i hope every one is happy for, not black friday! But because one of our memebers daughter is getting baptized on the 25th. we went over to see if they needed any help with preparing for it and well some how our talk led to us getting fed shrimp he caught earlier that day haha. i dont know how to eat shrimp apparently cause the whole family was laughing at me. 

Well this week shall be fun and full of food :) and hopefully other excitement. i hope everyone is doing well and that you also have an amazing time with your familys  this week. my missionary friends to you i wish you good tiding and a meal appointment or two on Thanksgiving :)

1 Thessalonians 5:18 

Till next time, be safe!

~Elder Herrera

November 16, 2015

Good day to ya'll,

So I forgot my journal back in the apartment so this weeks email is going to be a little short since i cant remember everything  i did last week, Also that time is slowly moving after t o the point ive given up keeping track. 

So normally the town im in shuts down at 8pm and there is no soul is out side and if you have kids they are asleep already. So normally thats our dead hour, but since we fell back an hour once it goes dark people go by natural reaction and go inside thinking its late but its only six! so no our dead hour starts at 7pm! we make sure we set appointments before but most days we try to OYM till we give up. but recently we have found new investigators that we can visit at 7 or 8 in the evenings so that's a great news for us :D!

On friday we had Zone Conference and had to wake up early to be there on time. sleep why do you for sake me? Well the the topics of this conference was working with members and consecrating our selves to the lord. we had may great talks and had members bare there testimony on how they were converted. we also got introduced to the Christmas initiative which is really cool so ill update you more on that later on. but yeah for our lunch break we got fried chicken and other goodies. well idk what it was but from all that but ive been feeling sick ever since then. Ive been tired and sluggish since then so i feel it coming on but im fighting it off through will power cause i don't
 wanna be stuck at the apartment that would be boring! so Ill fight it off long enough! 

Oh this Saturday we also had our Thanks Giving dinner here in port lavaca,  Elder Barlow and I mad a salad for it. we had a great turn out of members and investigators show up. it was a great night full of food and unity in the branch! Deep fried turkey is the best!! i was full afterwards but the best part was the LEFT OVERS!

Well thats my update for the week, i hope everyones is doing great back home and ill talk to ya'll next week

sincerely, 

Elder Herrera

October 26, 2015

This last week was suppose to be transfer but no one here got moved so where all together for another 6 weeks! I really do enjoy this area and the work were doing. its been slow trying to get our goal going, which is making this branch a ward. The only thing we've been having problems with is getting the members motivated to help in the goal. but we've been working hard to get everyone active and working together what they don't know that our FHE we have on tuesdays are basically training them to do so lol. but we have made progress and with our baptism coming up everyone is getting excited, its been a full year since the last one in this building.

This last week it finally felt like fall, well the fall im use to anyways cloudy/rainy/and windy. it still warm down here but that didnt stop me from wearing a sweater! My companion noticed once it got cloudy i got all excited and no longer bummed and depressed from all the sun and heat. I miss washington weather haha. but sadly it only lasted a few days and today it returned to being sunny and warm... well no more sweaters for a while. This week week is gonna be kinda busy in the since were having district meeting tomorrow, and on Friday were going on a two hour trip back top sugar land to here from one of the member of the seventy Elder Corbridge! hes the one who gave the talk on the fourth missionary. everyone getting excited for that.

I hope everyone is doing well back home and they your enjoying the cold weather or as much as you can. well ill talk to y'all next week! be good read your scriptures and have some hot chocolate on me :)

sincerely,

Elder Herrera

Ps. I like any advise you can possibly give! so anything would be great :D thank you. 

October 19, 2015

so i have only picture for ya'll this week! hope you enjoy!

Our district at the temple!

Just chill'n

Front of the Huston temple

Trucker treat...Bike 'n treat?

October 14, 2015

How'dy Everyone! 

I really dont know where to start its almost the end of my second transfer and its gone by so fast. there are days i wish that time would slow down so that i could do more before it gets dark and we have to head back home,so darn you short days not enough times to do everything i want!

this last week was fairly simple we visted Victor twice and he still very eager to for his baptismal date! He invited a friend from Utah who said he would make the journey to be there on his day which made him even more happy! We were also able to talk to Javier and hes been ready from the the Book of Mormon which we left with him. He had a few question about it and once we explained he said everything he read mad sense, we extended a baptismal date but he said he wasn't ready but we invited him to have a church tour and hes was actually interested and so we have that set with him! Saturday an investigator named Josue invited us to to have Papusas with him in the morning and oh boy they were delicious! we talk about his past and found out why he been hesitant to go to church with us. but he says its nothing because of us but his personal stuff he needs to fix before he can. but hes a great guy and he really enjoys us missionaries.

Well yesterday on Tuesday we went to the temple and that was exciting! and also very spiritual! we drove up on Monday to stay the night since from our area it would have been a long drive for that, especially to get there on time early in the morning. But yeah the temple is a great place to receive answers to your questions! but the majority know this from personal experiences.

well i have to go cause we are heading off to the Country Fair!! YE HA.... haha but yeah that should be fun.

Love all ya'all,

Elder Herrera

Ps ill have photos next week!

October 5, 2015

So I wanna start off with thing with saying thank you to all of you back home for supporting me! It means a lot and gives me that extra push to move forward when the days seem long and endless. And also thank you for the bike i got it and i have been putting it to work! so let me get started with this weekly update! 

Monday- Well nothing really happened on monday we did our usual P-day routine and after sending emails we went out and did work till no one would listen to us anymore. Why is everyone in this small town scared of missionaries? 

Tuesday- Today Elder Barlow and I went to do family history during our did hour of the day. And this time i was gonna actually try doing it and looking for info on my family instead of putting it off. well i remembered why i put it off... I dont have anywhere to start from! all i was able to get was the birthday of my grandpa but that is all the info i had and nothing was coming up with it :( Nothing came out of my trying so i left irritated and more lost and confused. later that day i played a prank on one of the elders in our apartment, i hid his mattress in there closet before they showed up from there last appointment. well i had them, believing that i threw it away, well either im good at acting, or he has no humor but he believed me and got upset and told me to get it from out side... well it wasn't till he opened his closet that he realized where i had put it. yeah he wasnt happy... but it was funny :) .

Wednesday- We had to do exchanges and and i was put together with the elder i had just played a trick on last night! also we had to teach seminary this morning... Im happy i missed those years i dont think i would have been able to make it four years of that.  So i tip my imaginary cowboy hat to ya'll who survived it! but after that during my personal studies i did a silent prayer that i would some how find or get info during the week that would help me with family history.  uring our companion study we got a text from the Ap telling us to go on the computes and read up on some things they were  gonna talk about on Friday during Zone meeting. so we did, went to the library and did so, but after i was finished i had a feeling i should start looking through the internet for Mexico catholic church records. well i found a site that had info on birth and marriage..ect and with the date i had aquired the day before i was able to find my grandpas birth records and not only that it had my great grand parents names on it! i now had something to go off of! my prayer was answered :)

Thursday- weekly planning and oyming till week got back to the our apartment

Friday- We had Zone Meeting alot of good information was brought up which would help me later in my studies. we then concluded the meeting with playing scatter ball! it got really intense and im really sore from it... but worth it :D

Sat/Sun- Conference! I hope every one enjoyed and got something spiritual out of this weekends conference! I went into this conference with a few questions in mind not only to keep me focused but to also get revelation from the prophets and spirit. and by the end all my my questions were answered! and I had an even more desire to continue on with my mission and i was excited to see the three new apostles called. Elder Bednars was sad as he recalled the past apostles :(. after conference we went to talk top Victor and his wife and they had great news! Victor has chosen to be baptized on november 7!! we were so excited, he told us to be prepared for the world to exploded after. jokes aside this was the best news all week. He is ready not only we can tell but he has noticed it himself which makes it even better!

well that is what i have for you all this week and ill let you guys know what new next week on the Elder Herrera Show!

this is a picture of gas prices here in port lavaca that was during the week i check early today again and it is now $1.82 yup feel jealous!

Signing out ,

Elder Herrera

September 28, 2015

So i must be doing something good or something bad that time is flying and it seems like theres never enough time to do everything we need to do! well yeah so much more to talk about this week than last week.

Monday-played Risk(its kinda a bad habit...) did laundry and went to a knife shop! sadly i dont have spending money so i just window shopped, also i kind want boots soo im saving up for that. went grocery shopping found out that one of the elders spent all his money on fruit from his last area so he had no money left to pay for this week we all had to chip in and help him pay his share, his companion isnt really happy.

Tusday- We had district meeting and then after that we went as a district to get food since we live so far away from one another we like to catch up. when we got back Elder Barlow and i got ready to for our FHE that we were planning for our branch, we planned out the lesson and the activity and we also made brownies!! that night alot of familys showed to see what the elders had come up with and well lets just say it went off awesomely!! we taught them about listing to the spirit and our activity was a blind fold mine activity. everyone had such a blast!... no pun intended. were having another in two weeks

wensday- i cant remember it flew by quickly

thursday-got a free hair cut from some one we were teaching i look better now! with out my bushy hair.

Friday- did alot of OYming but after six the town dies and everyone isat the High School, foot ball is a big thing here! GO SANDCRABS. so we went to Sonic and we met a new person we are planing to teach she took a selfie with us!

Saturday- Prepared for sunday and went out to a small town where we were caught in a storm and it was awesome so many lightning strikes!

Sunday- SO today we got good news on victor he called his mom to get permission to get baptized.. and she said he could! because she actually received the missionary discussions some timke ago! so the next step is to ask him what day he wants to get baptized! so many amazing things happening in his life that i cant wait to see him doing well a few years after! 

September 21, 2015

Wow seriously its Monday already? time flew quickly! since i really cant remember what happened this last week this email update will be short sorry next week will be longer promise!

So this week we have made alot of progress with our investigators Victor always has great questions and he wants to be ready before he gets baptized, but he pretty much is there our last lesson was the word of wisdom which was a great experience, cause we had prepared to teach him that lesson and when he showed up his wife said he had a question concerning why we couldn't drink coffee! and we were like funny thing we actually teach a lesson regarding that, Victor and his Wife were surprised as we were! but the best part of the whole lesson Victor told us to dump ALL of his coffee down the sink!! what just happened? after we left my companion was yup that was the spirit hand helping us. So ya anything possible if heavenly father wants it to happen and if the person also desires to change.

 Javier is going along as well, we read the book of Mormon with him and he understands what we teach him, he's actually going to bring his wife and kid from Mexico in a few weeks amd he wants them toi get the lessons as well so he wont decided on a date till they hear from us as well and decided as a family, so were praying that the spirit guides him and his family to find the truth and to protect them.

So when the sun goes down two things come out,amazing wonderful Fire Flies! and dreaded mosquitos... but yeah in this town once it 8pm the town goes dead and its hard to OYM or proselyte. and since we are not allowed to knock doors anymore so we ride our bikes around hoping we find some 1 in the dark who wants to talk and also hoping we don't get attacked by loose dogs!

So we went back to the mission office this last week to do the last training for the new people aka me... but yeah the topic was being to teach all 5 lessons, well the thing is ive only taught 3 out of the 5 yup ill just say it went better than i thought. actually i did horribly except for the first 3 and those were still a bit off except the restoration i killed it on that. but this experince taught me i still have a lot to work on. 

till next time with more!

Elder Herrera

September 14, 2015

 Hola Familia y Amigos

This week has been full of  moving around! Like i said last week i was moving apartments so i had little time. Did that then the next day I was personally moved from my area and got a new companion! it was bitter sweet leaving a place i grew attached to but i knew i was moved for a reason. so my new companion/area is *drum roll*.... Elder Barlow and the area is Port Lavaca.... cool..wait wheres Port Lavaca? yeah thats like the furthest south in my mission you can go and it small enough it only has a Branch, well never seen or been in a branch soo that was going to be something new. But before we left President called us to the office with two other missionaries and told us that our Area is going to be split in half and instead of just one companionship there, it would now have two. He said this was part of a plan/vision he and the Branch President had. They want us to work together to turn the Branch into a Ward... well that took everyone a second to realize the task we were given. He looked at us and said that it would be possible because the numbers werent far for us to attain this goal. I'm thinking, how far is far? but yeah i know why i was called to this area. and now i was confused as to why haha. but yeah he said we would meet up again and talk more about the plan. so yeah headed to the new area which is a little over 2 hours and boy that was the boringest drive ever, one reason was because we four missionaries were jammed into a jeep compass with all our stuff. and we were tired. but when we got to the new area i found out we also had to move out of that trailer they were in to an apartment the next day! whats up with me moving am i going to do that every new companionship? but yeah no room or space really for four missionaries so i claimed a place on the couch, worst sleep i had since ive vbeen on the mission field.

new Mailing Address is:

306 Holday lane 

#4

Port Lavaca TX 77979

So Elder Barlow, info in him is that he has been on his mission for a year and a half. he is born and raised in Utah. and funny thing he is the stereotypical awkward utah missionary i heard about haha. but he's awesome and we teach pretty well together even though we have only been together a few days. First day out though i encountered kids that while i was giving the restoration i had kids climing on me and kids slapping me... but i kept constant eye contact with the person i was talking to and gave my self a mental high five haha. but the second time i was teach it was out side and i dont know what happened but i got swarmed by mosquito's and i was second from getting up and leaving it was that bad! but before i did the person we were teaching asked if we wanted to come in *yes salvation!* but to be honest i dont know if ill be able to handle the Mosquitos even with the large amount of bug spray i put on they still get me!!! my patients will be tested. but result of that attack on me i have a swollen foot which my shoe no longer fits, so yeah cool story.  

enough of my complaining, besides that ive enjoyed my time here and the people are wonderful the Branch President last name is also Herrera so every one think im related. we have three new investigators that we found and taught and intrested to hear more. we have a part member family that the husband, Victore is on the verge of getting an answer to his prayers on whether or not he should be baptized. so please pray for him! anyways yeah thats what its been like since ive been here :)

Side info:

I saw my first Fire Fly :D while riding bacK!!!

I may have rolled my ankle... but i think ducktape will fix that.

I'm addicted to playing Risk!

I seen more armadillo but there always dead :( 

The foot ball team is named Sand Crabs

Oh and i got the letter Bishop Cain sent with all ya'll letters, I may only know a few of you but they all brought alot of happiness to me and im glad that I'm some one you look up to. And i know one day all of you will also have the chance to put on that armor and join fight against evil and help people to come unto Christ! its not easy but it worth every minute and i've only been out for a short time but i know this decision is worth it!

Quote- "Home is where the beds at"- Me 

ANyways thats alll for this week folks! Toon in next time :)

Sincerely,

Elder Herrera

September 9, 2015


Holla Familia y Amigos!

Como estan todos? Hope the change in weather is doing all ya'll some good, its still hot here... with the occasional rain shower. Well alot has happened and its all moving fast! The days dont seem so long anymore but i still return home tired and after planning i just pass out, and im out till the next morning! funny stuff though is that i apparently talk in my sleep and im told i have given the restoration talk and plan of salvation. isnt that cool? but besides that since last time, we found a new family to teach and the great thing is that they are open to new things and well in other words ready for us and i say this is because they absorb every thing we taught them the first lessons and were even hitting on points for our next lessons but sadly we had to go to another appointment so this week we are going back! but sadly i wont be going cause transfers are this week and i will be moved to a new area :( still dont know where but ill let y'all know where i end up next week. sorry this email will be short but were also moving out of our apartment and we have a few days to do it so got limited time this week! but i just want to let all y'all know que estoy bien sano y salvo :) oh and i was told that my mission has a FB page so ya you can see some videos and maybe a picture or two of me on there Texas Houston South Mission.  theres even a video of me "singing" haha yeah those of you who know me or seen me in church i don't sing but i decided to change that and now i try, i may sound bad but its fun. so yeah i walked in to the shower yesterday after hearing we were being transferred and i heard my companion "crying" haha he said he wasnt crying his eyes were just sweating. like him im gonna miss this area and the familys and investigators ive met and how close i got to them in such a short time. But I will go where the Lord asks me to go because i know there are people there who who have been ready'd. well till next time

Sincerely,

Elder Herrera

 Familia Matamoros